This invention relates to a multi-connector assembly to be mounted on a printed circuit board and, in particular, to a multi-connector assembly which facilitates accurate positioning and soldering in a mounting operation.
A conventional connector comprises an insulator block and a plurality of electrical contacts fixedly supported in the insulator block. The insulator block comprises a base member and a fitting member protruding from the base member. The fitting member is adapted to be removably fitted in a mating fitting member of a mating connector. Each of the contacts has a terminal portion and a contacting portion disposed to the base member and the fitting member of the insulator block, respectively. The terminal portions of the contacts are for one-to-one connection to a plurality of conductive patterns formed on a printed circuit board. The contacting portions of the contacts are for one-to-one contact with mating contacting portions of the mating connector.
In order to mount the connector on the printed circuit board, the connector is conveyed by an automatic conveying machine onto the printed circuit board and located thereon so that the base member of the connector is faced to a surface of the printed circuit board with the terminal portions of the contacts being engaged with the corresponding conductive patterns on the printed circuit board. Then, the terminal portions are soldered to the conductive patterns.
Generally, a plurality of connectors are mounted on the printed circuit board. These connectors are arranged in parallel to one another at a space left from one another. Alternatively, the connectors are arranged in a single linear row.
Although the connector must be located on the printed circuit board so that the contacts of the connector are brought into contact with the corresponding conductive patterns on the printed circuit board, the located position of the connector is permitted to be distributed within a constant region or area which is small and is called an allowance. This means that a plurality of, or two connectors mounted on a common circuit board may vary in their positional relationship therebetween in each of different printed circuit boards. Therefore, a plurality of male-type connectors mounted on a first printed circuit board cannot often be well mated with a plurality of female-type connectors mounted on a second printed circuit board which is desired to be connected with the first printed circuit board, because of difference of the positional relationship between the male-type connectors and that between the female-type connectors.
When a plurality of the connectors are arranged in a single linear row, an entire length of the row of the connectors becomes extremely long. It is therefore impossible to solder the terminal portions to the conductive patterns by reflow sildering.